


Mended

by Amajjzy



Category: RWBY
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, Clover mourning, Fairgame BROTP, Hurt/Comfort, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-26
Updated: 2020-01-26
Packaged: 2021-02-27 05:55:08
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,098
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22412095
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Amajjzy/pseuds/Amajjzy
Summary: VOLUME 7 EP 12 SPOILERS"I can't lose you too, James, I just can't."James stared at him for a long time, until he finally, hesitantly, reached for his face. "You won't."_____The fic where after Clover's death Qrow comes in to force Ironwood to get his shit together
Relationships: Qrow Branwen/James Ironwood
Comments: 3
Kudos: 115





	Mended

**Author's Note:**

> I've never written these two before but I bring Ironqrow comfort and Clover representation in these dark times!
> 
> Hope this helps mend some broken hearts

"Good luck."

The light died in his eyes and Qrow stopped thinking. 

He didn't feel the cold snow coming down on his skin, if anything, it felt warm compared to the chills currently making their way down his spine- felt warm compared to the unsettling way he could feel Clover's body warmth dissipating from his limp hand. 

_Good luck._

Qrow blamed Tyrian, blamed James for calling out the arrest order, blamed _Clover_ for not siding with him for those few _crucial_ seconds that had in the end claimed his life. But most of all, Qrow blamed himself.

He blamed himself so much that he didn't react to the Atlas airship coming down behind him, a whirlwind of snow circling both him and his lost friend as they landed. He blamed himself so much that he didn't resist the way they roughly ripped him away from Clover, nor did he resist the way they knocked him to the ground and chained him up with a lot more force than was legal. 

He blamed himself so much that he could _really_ go for a drink right now. 

Qrow didn't respond to any of their questions, he merely watched the other half of the team sent to get him wrap Clover's remains into a body bag and load him in, willingly walking himself into the ship after. Qrow seated himself into the back of the vehicle without any protest, not reacting at all when a gun was forcefully shoved into his lower back because frankly, he deserved the rough treatment. 

He didn't respond to the yells, didn't respond to the jeers and cries calling him a murderer, didn't even twitch when one person came up into his face, demanding to know how he could _kill_ his own friend in cold blood like that. Qrow waited, closely watching where they stored Harbinger as the Atlas airship took off and already setting his mind on escaping because frankly, he didn't have a single fucking _thing_ to say to them.

The only person Qrow wanted to speak to right now, the only person he had a _score_ to settle with was James Ironwood, and like hell was he about to let anyone stop him.

* * *

He wasn't in his office, and by the looks of it, his kids had been the reason why. 

Qrow recognized the icy flares of Weiss' glyphs lingering on the walls, paired with Ruby's signature rose petals scattered all over the office. The room looked an absolute _mess,_ and on the way out, Qrow spotted the heavy cracks on the floor, a light flame still burning in the corner- no doubt caused by Yang, being the little firecracker that she was. 

None of them were anywhere to be found, however, but Qrow wasn't worried. Just by looking at the scene he could tell that they were safe, that they had _won_ and had the circumstances been any different, he would have smirked; maybe even laughed because _Christ,_ did those kids make him proud. 

And maybe later he would, maybe, on the off-chance that things could still turn out alright after all this, perhaps if Clover and his eerily good luck were still watching over him in some way, maybe he would. But as of right now, Qrow was a man on a mission, and he wouldn't be taking any chances until he'd found James. 

Something which surprisingly enough didn't turn out to be as hard as he'd thought.

Qrow found him in the briefing room, a holograph of the floating city hovering behind him as he looked over a digitalized map of the city because _of course_ the man had nothing but military strategies on his mind, nothing but his _work._

Honestly, the reason behind their breakup wasn't rocket science; if anything, Qrow was surprised it hadn't happened much earlier. 

And Qrow was well aware that this wasn't the most healthy way to go about things, that taking out all his frustrations, pain, the grudge he still held over a shitty breakup after all these years and his alarmingly increasing cravings for a drink on one man wasn't the way to go about things. 

But Clover's dying words were still fresh on his mind, the coldness of his eyes, the way his hand fell limp in Qrow's own- it was all still _too fresh_ and he couldn't help but lash out. 

James had expected him, of course; Qrow would be worried if he hadn't. So when the first shot rang out without warning, he wasn't a second too late in raising Harbinger and deflecting the bullet and despite himself, Qrow silently thanked every deity above for the military cleaning his weapon of any traces of Clover's blood when they confiscated it. He didn't think he could handle carrying his own weapon if it still had been stained red. 

"Qrow," James said, his voice edging on cold, but Qrow had known him for ages now, long enough for him to make out the slight waver in his tone when addressing him. The same hesitant tone he'd had ever since they split. 

"I know I called you a tin-man before, Jimmy." Qrow said, flicking the switch on his blade to unfold Harbinger into its full glory. James' shoulders tensed. "But I never expected you to take it so literally."

James' brow furrowed, confusion shining in those annoyingly sharp, _annoyingly_ pretty eyes of his. Qrow almost scoffed, wondering how in the hell he was still capable of showing emotion after all _this._

"What are you talking about?" James said, never lowering his gun as he spoke. The intricate designs carved into Due Process, designs that were eerily similar to the ones sewn into Qrow's sleeves seemed to mock him. "How are you even _here,_ what did you do to my-" 

"Have you lost your fucking _mind,_ James?!" Qrow spat, a sudden hiss of fury hitting him and in hindsight, it was probably all the emotions he'd suppressed for so long finally coming back to bite him in the ass. "Declaring martial law? Letting an _entire city_ die without even _attempting_ to save them? And for what? Your building paranoia?"

"You don't _understand,_ Qrow. She was here, she was watching, she _spoke_ to us-" 

"You think you're the only one scared shitless here?" Qrow stalked closer, the rage only boiling hotter the longer this went on. He wanted to punch the shit out of James, but at the same time, he just wanted to make him _understand._ "My _nieces_ are in this, James. I wake up every fucking day, praying to whoever will listen that nothing happens to them because they're in the middle of a timeless _war_ and _anything_ could happen!" He spat, so far gone into his rant, into his own feelings that he didn't notice the way the other man faltered for just a second. 

"Qrow-"

 _"None_ of these kids deserve any of this. Hell, Oscar is only _fifteen_ and Yang lost a damn arm!" He slammed his fist against the desk. "Do you _really_ think you're the only one with the right to make decisions like these? These kids have gone through about as much as you and me, yet I don't see any of them walking off the right path!"

"I _am_ on the right path!" James responded, almost frantic. "Everything I'm doing is to defeat her, to ensure the safety of _everyone!_ But to _do_ that sacrifices must be made!" 

Qrow narrowed his eyes. "Sacrifices. Does that include the life of one of your men?" 

"One of my-" James slowly lowered his gun, his eyes wide as the realization slowly hit him. "You're kidding."

Qrow swung his scythe, the weapon coming down on the desk with a loud bang, cracking the material in the process. _"Would_ I lie about this?!"

James stared at him, searching his face, _hoping_ for a lie. "No…" he finally said, placing Due Process down on the broken desk. "No, I guess you wouldn't."

He sunk down into the chair behind it, his paling face falling into his palm. "Dear gods…" he muttered, mostly to himself. "I- Qrow, what am I _doing?"_

"Hell if I know," Qrow replied, years of tension and rage putting itself to a temporary halt as he watched the man he held so many memories with fall apart right in front of him. "I'm not doing too hot myself, Jimmy."

"How?" 

Qrow swallowed, not even thinking over his next words. "I killed him."

James looked up in alarm, wide eyes hastily scanning over Qrow's steel expression and only then did the other huntsman notice the severe damage done on his non-prosthetic arm. It seemed the both of them had been through hell in their own way. 

Finally, James' expression softened, shaking his head with clarity. "You didn't."

"All the evidence is there. Your puppets would certainly tell you I did."

"You didn't." James repeated, the confidence in his tone almost enough to make Qrow crack because despite everything, despite all _this,_ James still believed in him. "You couldn't. No matter what you tell yourself, Qrow, you could never hurt a friend."

Qrow swallowed again, his throat dry with emotion. He wanted to punch him, he wanted to hug him- damn it, he just wanted all of this to _stop._ "Prove me wrong, James."

With a sigh, James ran a hand through messy, damp locks, all the fight having left him. Qrow was almost certain he could swing Harbinger right now and the man wouldn't even react. "About what?"

Qrow let go of his weapon, leaving it sticking out of the desk as he walked around it until he was next to James. The other didn't even look at him. His hand was still in his hair, his eyes following the cracks running through the desk, following the curves of Qrow's blade, his mind, no doubt, occupied with thoughts of a fallen soldier. 

Crouching down next to him - because honestly he felt so _drained,_ even standing was becoming a chore - Qrow placed a hand on James' knee, staring up at him with red eyes still puffy from the tears that had fallen over Clover's corpse. "I called you heartless before."

He laughed, a dry, humourless sound. "You were probably right."

"Prove me wrong."

James stared down at him, surprised. "What?" 

"Prove me wrong," Qrow repeated, squeezing a little. "I know you can do the right thing, Jimmy, so prove me wrong. Call it off."

James hesitated, his blue eyes once so full of pride, so _beautiful,_ only filled with distress. "But the relic! _She_ will-!" 

With an annoyed huff, Qrow reached up, harshly yanking at the red tie around his neck and pulling him down until their noses were touching, breaths mingling. Despite the closeness, and despite the further widening of James' eyes, Qrow only glared up at him. "You don't need to do everything on your own, James, why don't you _get_ that?!" 

"Qrow…"

"Call it off, Jimmy. The kids will be on your side, Robyn will be on your side, _I_ will be on your side!" He pulled him even closer, impossibly close. _"You_ just need to _want_ it." His face softened, the anger dissipating into the pain he'd been trying to hide this entire time. "I can't lose you too, James, I just can't."

James stared at him for a long time, until he finally, hesitantly, reached for his face. "You won't." 

Qrow scoffed, pulling away just slightly. "You sure? Because it damn well seems like it. It's Lionheart all over again, hell, you can't even say her damn _name-"_

"You _won't,_ Qrow," he repeated, firmer this time, the stern words reflecting in an equally as stern gaze. He leaned down, pressing his forehead against Qrow's. "I promise you won't." 

"Yeah? Then prove it." 

James' lips twitched, the briefest hints of amusement in such dark times. "You've always been bad for me, did you know that?" 

Qrow rolled his eyes. "I'm bad for everyone." 

"I missed you," he said. "A lot." 

Qrow flushed, pulling away quicker than he was willing to admit to. Now was _not_ the time. "We can do all that kiss and make up shit later, James. _We've_ got a city to save and _you_ have a lot of work to do."

James sighed heavily and Qrow could practically see Salem's shadow, the very shadow that had been haunting him all these years, draining away as he leaned his head back against the chair's headrest. He closed his eyes, his hand coming up to cover his face. "Promise me not to run off again."

"I won't."

  
  


**Author's Note:**

> I fully buy into that theory that Ironwood and Qrow are exes so there's that.
> 
> The writing's a bit choppy at some points because it's four in the morning and I have work tomorrow, I'll probably edit later but for now that's it!
> 
> Edit: _The Tin Man has lost his heart_


End file.
